The Sir George Robey

ABOUT

The Sir George Robey was a mid-19th-century pub at 240 Seven Sisters Road, Finsbury Park, near the Rainbow Theatre, which put on bands from the 1970s. The Mean Fiddler group took it over in 1996 and renamed it the Powerhaus, and it closed in 2004. After standing empty and being occupied by squatters, it was demolished in 2015, and the Maldron Hotel now stands on the site.

SIGNIFICANCE

It was a punk venue in the 1980s; Fugazi played there on 24 November 1988, and the Islington Gazette listed Bad Manners, Carter USM and They Might Be Giants among its acts. History Extra names Fairport Convention, Wilko Johnson and the La's among its 1970s and 1980s bookings and Blur among the indie bands of its later years.

MUSIC & CHARACTER

SOURCES

Details compiled from public sources. Run this venue? Get in touch to confirm or correct the listing.

1. https://dalatahotelgroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/Maldron-Hotel-Finsbury-Park-Corporate-Media-Release-2023.pdf (official website)Supports: The Maldron Hotel Finsbury Park at 240 Seven Sisters Road opened in 2023.
2. https://dischord.com/fugazi_live_series/london-england-112488 (official website)Supports: Fugazi played the Sir George Robey on 24 November 1988, with Sink, Playground and Exit Condition.
3. https://web.archive.org/web/20180504225352/http://www.islingtongazette.co.uk/news/crime-court/squatters-evicted-from-famous-finsbury-park-pub-1-4038505 (news article)Supports: It was a punk venue in the 1980s, and the empty building was cleared of squatters in April 2015.
4. https://www.historyextra.com/period/modern/the-history-of-londons-10-greatest-live-music-venues/ (news article)Supports: The pub opened as the Clarence Tavern in the mid-19th century, was renamed the Sir George Robey in the 1960s, put on gigs from the 1970s, was renamed the Powerhaus after the Mean Fiddler group took it over in 1996, closed in 2004 and was demolished in 2015.